Trip Report A Sweet 16 Weekend! This trip is all about Maddy!

I can’t wait to share our next Disney adventure! This one will start early, as we need to leave for the airport by 2:15 am. Its also special, as Madelyn turns 16 this Sunday.

Both Maddy and Brayden are February babies, so we surprised them for a Disney trip way back in 2011. My have things changed since then.

We will be staying at Coronado for just the second time. We stayed there for Thanksgiving over 10 years ago.

Plan on heading straight to Epcot once we get to the resort tomorrow. We have lunch at Chefs de France for 1. This will be our second time there as well. The hours for the parks have increased since we booked this trip last year. We aren't sure if that's a good or bad thing; however, there really aren't many things that are bad in Disney, right?

Looking forward to sharing our long weekend in what is forecast to be a hot weekend in Florida!

 

[fractal]

Thanks for checking in. I almost feel guilty knowing I was stuck in that room on RotR and chose to rest rather than take pictures. When @fractal posted his message I really thought "I blew it." I guess I owe him a few more good beers to make up for my blunder, but I was pretty beat at that point.

You acted as any sane person would. I'm the one with the problem!

 

[amjt660]

You acted as any sane person would. I'm the one with the problem!

Acknowledgement of a problem is the first step

But we would miss your amazing pictures - so please do not solve this problem Chris!!

Max

 

[ShookieJones]

Thanks for checking in. I almost feel guilty knowing I was stuck in that room on RotR and chose to rest rather than take pictures. When @fractal posted his message I really thought "I blew it." I guess I owe him a few more good beers to make up for my blunder, but I was pretty beat at that point.

I predict that Chris's ( @fractal ) disappointment in your lack of photo taking will dissipate 2 cold IPAs in.

 

[fractal]

This is the FIRST thing I thought when I saw that post. Mind you, not that I WOULD take a 1000 photos, but "If Chris were there...."

CM: "Sir the ride has been up for 5 minutes now, we're going to need you to move along..."

High probability of exactly this!

I predict that Chris's ( @fractal ) disappointment in your lack of photo taking will dissipate 2 cold IPAs in.

Another fine prediction Enzo!

 

[donaldtoo]

Brayden's hair is just like my 14 year old sons and I keep telling him to enjoy it now because my hair is his future lol

Fortunately, at age 58, I still have a full head of hair, although it’s as gray as the day is long, but, I’ll take it...!!!!!

 

[coachwnh]

Updates and final thoughts on this trip compared to last summer coming soon.

Just a selfish update here to dad brag a bit: Brayden and Maddy both advanced to the district semifinals last night ((Northampton High School). Brayden will play Monday night at the PPL Center in Allentown so he’s super excited.

Maddy’s soccer team just surprised her with a Sweet 16 party. We had no idea!!! Just dropped off her overnight bag. Love these girls.

End of brag. Sorry

 

[littleroo]

I am glad you have lots of great things going on! Congrats!! It makes coming back from Disney and to this weather easier! Hooray!

 

[donaldtoo]

Updates and final thoughts on this trip compared to last summer coming soon.

Just a selfish update here to dad brag a bit: Brayden and Maddy both advanced to the district semifinals last night ((Northampton High School). Brayden will play Monday night at the PPL Center in Allentown so he’s super excited.

Maddy’s soccer team just surprised her with a Sweet 16 party. We had no idea!!! Just dropped off her overnight bag. Love these girls.

End of brag. Sorry

No worries, that’s awesome, so brag all ya’ want...!!!!!!!
Just wait ‘til you’re able to be a bragging granddad, too...!!!!!

 

[coachwnh]

No worries, that’s awesome, so brag all ya’ want...!!!!!!!
Just wait ‘til you’re able to be a bragging granddad, too...!!!!!

I’m in noooooooooo hurry for that!!!!

 

[amjt660]

I’m in noooooooooo hurry for that!!!!

Max

 

[littleroo]

I’m in noooooooooo hurry for that!!!!

Amen!!!!

 

[donaldtoo]

I’m in noooooooooo hurry for that!!!!

It’s funny, When DWifey and I got married in ‘88, my folks said they were in no hurry for grandchildren. About a year later their tune had changed...”Where the heck are them grandchildren...?!?!?!”
It was in a joking manner, but, it was obviously not all in jest...!!!!!
We were waiting to buy a house. We were able to do that in ‘89, and our first of 3 was born in ‘91.
We became grandparents, and my folks became great grandparents, to a wonderfully beautiful little angel girl in ‘18, and our daughter is expecting another little angel girl in July...!!!!!
So much joy in our lives in that regard, and for my folks and MIL, as well (although, tempered drastically due to the current situation )...!!!
I know y’all’s kiddos are much younger and still have a lot of things to do with their lives before they ever get to the point where they decide to, or not to, have children, which is totally fine, as well. Not every couple wants to have a family beyond the 2 of them.
For us, being grandparents has just brought so much joy to our lives...!!!!!

 

[Ghostdog]

You’re a PROUD dad of your kiddos...BRAG AWAY!!!

 

[littleroo]

It’s funny, When DWifey and I got married in ‘88, my folks said they were in no hurry for grandchildren. About a year later their tune had changed...”Where the heck are them grandchildren...?!?!?!”
It was in a joking manner, but, it was obviously not all in jest...!!!!!
We were waiting to buy a house. We were able to do that in ‘89, and our first of 3 was born in ‘91.
We became grandparents, and my folks became great grandparents, to a wonderfully beautiful little angel girl in ‘18, and our daughter is expecting another little angel girl in July...!!!!!
So much joy in our lives in that regard, and for my folks and MIL, as well (although, tempered drastically due to the current situation )...!!!
I know y’all’s kiddos are much younger and still have a lot of things to do with their lives before they ever get to the point where they decide to, or not to, have children, which is totally fine, as well. Not every couple wants to have a family beyond the 2 of them.
For us, being grandparents has just brought so much joy to our lives...!!!!!

Well said, and I completely agree! My youngest, we are very old parents, had her first wiggly tooth last night and it took me a second to even compute it! My first question was, "Did you hit your mouth against something "? It really took me a second to accept she moved on to that phase! I, definitely, want you to continue bragging!!

 

[Katiekitten]

Maddie's birthday cake look amazing! It looks like you've had a great time!

 

[coachwnh]

Maddie's birthday cake look amazing! It looks like you've had a great time!

Thank you. We were happy to get away and celebrate her Sweet 16 in Disney!

 

[coachwnh]

It's been a few weeks, so I better give my final analysis:

Although Maddy's birthday trip was planned months in advance, it wasn't without its challenges. During a normal year, the weekend dates would not have been an issue. But with Covid, we were really hoping for the best. I am a head coach in the winter. In a normal year (and when we booked), my season would end well before this trip.

Maddy plays basketball for the high school team, and the only way the season would have extended through her birthday weekend would be a trip to the state semi-finals. The team is good, but young, so we didn't expect this.

Brayden hadn't played basketball since 8th grade. Five knee dislocations and major surgery to rebuild the damage allowed him to try out and make the team as a senior!

So how did it go? All three seasons were delayed, three of us caught Covid (end of January - start of February), and the kids each missed a game And to add insult to injury, Brayden hit a deer the night before we left coming home from his game. He was fine, but the car is still in the shop and the deer didn't make it.

Most importantly, Brayden, my father in law, and I had no real covid issues. Thank god! The boys basketball team was shut down for two weeks, but they still made the district semi finals (as did the girls). Crystal's covid quarantine was up the day before we left. We were hoping that she had no symptoms (she didn't). Until we got up at 1:30 AM to drive to the airport, we planned for a huge letdown. But what happened was anything but a letdown!

We had a great time, loved the resort, and can't wait to return in June!

Looking forward to a great summer vacation to Disney. It will probably be our last for a long time with so much happening her at home.

Thanks for reading and I can't wait to share our summer adventure.

 

[fractal]

It's been a few weeks, so I better give my final analysis:

Although Maddy's birthday trip was planned months in advance, it wasn't without its challenges. During a normal year, the weekend dates would not have been an issue. But with Covid, we were really hoping for the best. I am a head coach in the winter. In a normal year (and when we booked), my season would end well before this trip.

Maddy plays basketball for the high school team, and the only way the season would have extended through her birthday weekend would be a trip to the state semi-finals. The team is good, but young, so we didn't expect this.

Brayden hadn't played basketball since 8th grade. Five knee dislocations and major surgery to rebuild the damage allowed him to try out and make the team as a senior!

So how did it go? All three seasons were delayed, three of us caught Covid (end of January - start of February), and the kids each missed a game And to add insult to injury, Brayden hit a deer the night before we left coming home from his game. He was fine, but the car is still in the shop and the deer didn't make it.

Most importantly, Brayden, my father in law, and I had no real covid issues. Thank god! The boys basketball team was shut down for two weeks, but they still made the district semi finals (as did the girls). Crystal's covid quarantine was up the day before we left. We were hoping that she had no symptoms (she didn't). Until we got up at 1:30 AM to drive to the airport, we planned for a huge letdown. But what happened was anything but a letdown!

We had a great time, loved the resort, and can't wait to return in June!

Looking forward to a great summer vacation to Disney. It will probably be our last for a long time with so much happening her at home.

Thanks for reading and I can't wait to share our summer adventure.

Congrats on the great high school basketball seasons! Happy to see things slowing returning to normal.

 

[coachwnh]

Congrats on the great high school basketball seasons! Happy to see things slowing returning to normal.

Thanks. Basketball ended on a Monday night, and they were both at track Tuesday afternoon

Maddy’s soccer is playing already as well.

keeps us busy, but I wouldn’t change a thing. I know you remember those days!

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

Great TR!!! What an awesome place to spend a sweet 16!!

How was the bus transportation to and from Coronado? We're staying there next month and want to try and be at the parks by rope drop. What time did they start running? Did they pick up at Grand Destino first or was that the last stop?